Arabs who commit terrorist organizations toward Western targets may do so because they feel a unification with their nation or ethnicity, and see the West as a threat to that nationalism and ethnicity. Thus, while political motivations certainly threaten terrorism, nationalism and ethnocentrism compound these motivations, threatening terrorism against the safety of the world.
Finally, religious fanaticism, sometimes a component of nationalism and ethnocentrism, often causes terrorism. This can be most clearly seen in the recent September 11, 2001 attacks and the prominence of Al Queda at a worldwide terrorist organization. According to Walker (2001) the September 11 attacks were fueled by Muslim fanatics who were told that their actions were religiously correct. They were following a religious concept of Holy War of Jihad, a concept that "comes right from the heart of extremist Muslims" (para. 6). Still, some argue that Jihad is not...
Of course, they tend to work together, as impoverished people tend to be persuaded to religious fanaticism and perhaps nationalistic as they believe these causes will help them gain status in society. By targeting these causes of terrorism, authorities can prevent attacks and improve the well-being of others.
References
"Causes of Terrorism." (2005). Retrieved June 16, 2009, from http://www.meteck.org/causesTerrorism.html
Walker, J. (2001). The Cause of Terrorism. Retrieved June 16, 2009, from http://www.nobeliefs.com/terrorism.htm
Zalman, A. (2009). The Cause of Terrorism. Retrieved June 16, 2009, from http://terrorism.about.com/od/causes/a/causes_terror.htm
